Kessur Ajaib

Kessur Ajaib, 44, from Rotherham, was convicted alongside co-defendant Mohammed Makhmood of raping a 14-year-old girl over a period of more than two years, beginning in 1999. At the time of the offences, Ajaib was aged between 18 and 20, exploiting the vulnerability of the young victim in a series of sexual assaults.

The convictions stem from an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into historical child sexual abuse in Rotherham, where multiple perpetrators targeted underage girls. The case highlights a pattern of organised exploitation in the area during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the victims enduring attacks in isolated locations, humiliation, and verbal abuse.

Details of the specific assaults were not fully outlined in the proceedings related to Sageer Hussain's sentencing, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described the treatment of the victims as appalling. Liz Fell, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS’s Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, stated: "These men deliberately exploited the victims’ youth and vulnerability to manipulate and control them. They sexually abused the victims, who were children, in the most horrendous way. The treatment these young girls endured was appalling—they were attacked in isolated locations and subjected to humiliation and verbal abuse."

Ajaib and Makhmood's sentencing is scheduled for 21 November at Sheffield Crown Court, following their guilty verdicts for the rapes. This follows the recent additional sentencing of their associate Sageer Hussain for a separate rape in the same area. The NCA's efforts underscore the ongoing pursuit of justice for survivors, even decades after the crimes occurred.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer Alan Hastings emphasised the importance of victim reports in securing these convictions, noting that specially trained officers are available to support those coming forward, regardless of how much time has passed.